


Christmas is a Good Excuse

by lunesque (Moriavis)



Category: Kyo Kara Maoh!
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-12-14
Updated: 2006-12-14
Packaged: 2017-10-12 10:41:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/124033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moriavis/pseuds/lunesque
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gwendal is bad at receiving gifts, but don't worry; Conrad's pretty good at giving them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Christmas is a Good Excuse

**Author's Note:**

> This happened because I read a House M.D. Christmas fic. So Conrad!muse went: We should write a Christmas drabble. I said: There isn't Christmas in New Makoku. And Conrad!muse said: There isn't Halloween in New Makoku either, but that didn't stop you in your last story. And I said: I hate it when you're right.

Gwendal registered the sound of the door opening, but ignored it as he focused on his paperwork—the slide of his quill against parchment, the careful dip into the inkwell, sorting, accepting and rejecting, and setting aside the declarations that needed His Majesty's signature. After a moment, Gwendal set aside the quill and looked up to find Conrad standing there, with a brightly wrapped package in his hands.

"What is it?" Gwendal asked gruffly.

Conrad inclined his head and set the package on Gwendal's desk. "This is for you."

Gwendal blinked at the gift and tried to recall what occasion warranted a present. It wasn't his birthday, and…. Actually, that was the only day he could think of that would result in him receiving a gift. "…May I ask why?"

Conrad smiled. "It's a Christmas present."

"It's a…" Gwendal vaguely remembered His Majesty begging him for permission to create a new holiday based on a strange earth custom, but… "His Majesty's gift-giving is not until next week."

"I know." Conrad admitted. "To be honest, I got impatient." He sat down in the chair before the desk and leaned back. "Open it." He watched Gwendal and rested his arm against the armrest of his chair with a deceptive calm; Gwendal could feel the tension around Conrad, and it knotted his own shoulders.

"I…" Gwendal was embarrassed by the intense scrutiny and pulled the present closer. The cloth was a deep purple, and the ribbon that tied it closed was a brilliant gold. He gave Conrad another look before he tugged the package open carefully.

Gwendal blinked.

"Do you like it?" Conrad asked.

"It's…" Gwendal's eye twitched, and he wrapped his hands around the knitted monstrosity, feeling the soft wool beneath his fingers.

"Anissina taught me," Conrad said, and Gwendal noted the nervous stillness with which he held himself. "It's a kitty."

Gwendal blinked again. A kitty, really? He'd thought it was a walrus, but perhaps those _were_ whiskers…

They sat in silence for a moment, Gwendal looking at the gift and Conrad looking at Gwendal, until Conrad shifted, lifting a hand to rub at the back of his neck.

"You don't like it," Conrad said, and there was a note in Conrad's calm voice that rang flat.

Conrad reached toward the knitted creature, obviously intending to take it back, and possibly burn it, when Gwendal pushed his chair away from his desk, pulling the gift just out of Conrad's reach. Conrad gave Gwendal a surprised look, half-risen out of his chair.

"It's rude to take a back a gift," Gwendal chided, his fingers folding over the kitty securely.

The smile that spread over Conrad's face was warm and genuine.

Embarrassed, Gwendal's eyes flickered between Conrad and the knitted kitty. "I… don't have anything for you."

"That doesn't matter," Conrad said, his eyes shining. "I should get back to my duties." Conrad stood and headed for the door.

"Conrart…" Conrad stopped with his hand on the doorknob and turned toward Gwendal curiously. Gwendal smiled. "Thank you."

Conrad beamed. "You're welcome."

Gwendal stared at the knitted animal on his desk for a long while after Conrad left before shaking his head and setting it on his bookshelf next to his own attempts.

It really was a cute walrus…kitty…thing.


End file.
